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The President of Emirates Airlines has called for a major leadership overhaul at Boeing.
Tim Clark, the head of Emirates Airlines, urged Boeing to appoint a strong leader with both engineering and business expertise to lead the company through a crucial transformation. Speaking at an airlines summit, Clark emphasized the need for effective leadership to address Boeing’s recent challenges, including safety and production issues. “Is it fixable and salvageable? Yes, it is. But you’ll only achieve that with very strong leadership focused on doing the right thing,” Clark stated.
Clark estimated that it might take up to five years for Boeing to overcome its current problems and meet demand efficiently. This comes as Boeing searches for a new CEO, following the announcement that Dave Calhoun will step down by the end of the year. Calhoun’s departure follows a series of crises, including a recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet.
When discussing the qualities needed in Boeing’s next CEO, Clark said it was critical for the company to find a leader with knowledge of aerospace engineering and strong business acumen. He mentioned Stephanie Pope, Boeing’s recently appointed planemaking chief, as a potential candidate but was uncertain about her readiness for the role.
In December, Boeing appointed Pope to the newly created group-wide chief operating officer position, positioning her as a potential successor to Calhoun. Pope previously led Boeing’s Global Services, the company’s only profitable division in the first nine months of 2023. Following the blowout incident, Boeing announced Calhoun’s early departure and named Pope as head of its Commercial Airplanes division.
Clark also stressed the urgency of timely aircraft deliveries, expressing frustration over delays and the costs of refurbishing existing planes. Emirates is currently undergoing a major cabin refurbishment on its existing fleet while awaiting the first delivery of the delayed Boeing 777X, which is expected in 2025.
